This invention relates to manually operable change speed transmissions for motor vehicles and more particularly to a novel interlocking lug arrangement for the transmission shift rails.
In vehicles having manual change speed transmissions, wherein gears are shiftable by axially reciprocable shift rails, there is a need to prevent the shiftable gears from being accidentally moved out of their preselected positions. To prevent accidental shifting various types of interlock and detent mechanisms have been suggested. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,537,584 to Carhart and 3,104,558 to Herr, Jr. are examples of prior art interlock plate-like lug devices which hold a pair of sliding rails in neutral while a third rail is being shifted or is in gear. These mechanisms, however, have not been entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of reliability, simplicity of construction and cost of manufacture.